Lightning wield home-ice edge against Jets

(Sports Network) - The Tampa Bay Times Forum has been a tough place for
opposing teams to visit in the early going this season.

It's been a house of horrors for the Winnipeg Jets over the past few years.

The Lightning aim to keep their perfect home record intact on Friday evening
and avoid their first regulation loss as the host versus the Jets since 2009.

Tampa Bay has won the first three of a five-game homestand and has a victory
in all four of its games at the Forum this season. It has outscored opponents
16-7 so far on the residency and is coming off Tuesday's 5-2 triumph over the
Florida Panthers.

Vincent Lecavalier, Cory Conacher, Tom Pyatt and Dana Tyrell all had a goal
and an assist, while Steven Stamkos netted his fourth goal of the season in
the win. He has notched 11 points through the Lightning's first six games.

Anders Lindback made 26 saves in the victory, Tampa Bay's fourth in a row
overall.

Acquired in an offseason trade with Nashville, Lindback is 4-1-0 in five
starts this season with a 2.80 goals against average and .914 save percentage.

"(Lindback) is showing signs of somebody that is making a difference at the
right time every game," said Tampa Bay head coach Guy Boucher.

Martin St. Louis had an assist and leads the Lightning with nine helpers and
12 points on the season.

Tampa Bay last won five straight during a seven-game run from Jan. 17-Feb. 4
of last season and has won 14 of its past 17 overall against the Jets
franchise.

The Lightning are also 8-0-2 in their last 10 at home versus the club since
the Atlanta/Winnipeg franchise picked up a 3-1 win at Tampa on Feb. 10, 2009.

The Jets will take a victory of any kind on Friday after losing a 6-3 decision
at Florida on Thursday. The clubs combined for seven goals in the third
period, but five of those came off the sticks of the Panthers.

Grant Clitsome, Olli Jokinen and Tobias Enstrom posted markers for the Jets,
who have allowed 10 goals over a two-game losing streak that has followed
three straight wins.

Ondrej Pavelec was beaten five times on 33 shots in the setback.

"We have another game in 24 hours against one of the top teams in the East and
one of the top teams in our division right now, so if we can't get up for
tomorrow, we have bigger issues," Jets forward Blake Wheeler said about his
team's game against Tampa Bay on Friday.

Wheeler and Evander Kane both have three goals and five assists over their
last five games, while Enstrom has logged seven points in that span.